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1991
January 3, 1991
San Antonio reveals its team name - the "Riders" - and its Vice President of Football Operations - John Peterson, Player Personnel Director of the Ottawa Rough Riders for the past two years, and a scout before that with the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks and the San Diego Chargers.
January 10, 1991
Lee Corso, with a background of 28 years of collegiate and professional coaching, is named General Manager of the Orlando Thunder.
January 10, 1991
Raleigh-Durham announces its nickname, head coach and administrative leader.  The team will be known as the "Skyhawks", Roman Gabriel will relinquish his General Manager duties to become Head Coach and Wayne Thompson, a 15 year management executive in Skyhawks owner George Shinn's Ruttledge Education System, is appointed Vice President of Administration.
January 11, 1991
The Barcelona Dragons announce their management team, with the appointments of Andrew Brandt, former in-house Counsel and Special Assistant to the President of the World League, as General Manager, and Jack Bicknell, who elevated Boston College to national prominence during the 1980's, as head coach.
January 15, 1991
Montreal Machine appoints its front office/on-field hierarchy, Gordon Cahill, for 14 years a scout for the Montreal Alouettes/Concordes and the British Columbia Lions and Calgary Stampeders of the CFL, will be the team's General Manager. Jacques Dussault, with international coaching experience in Canada, the U.S. and France, will be Head Coach.
January 16, 1991
League announces its fifth television package, as Germany's Tele 5 agrees to carry nationally all of the Frankfurt Galaxy's games, as well as WLAF playoffs and the World Bowl.
January 17, 1991
Bruce Dworshak, a veteran sports publicist and administrator familiar with international sports organizations and competitions, is named European Coordinator of the WLAF.

dworshak.jpg

January 18, 1991
League announces that Cal Lepore, with over 35 years of officiating experience in college and professional football, will be its supervisor of officials: and that Phil Hollingsworth, with a producer-director sports TV background, has been named Coordinator of Video Services.
January 19, 1991
Mike Riley, the 1990 Head Coach of the Year in the CFL, who won his second Grey Cup Championship in 1990 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, is named Head Coach of the San Antonio Riders.
January 28, 1991
The Frankfurt Galaxy appoints Jack Elway, who coached Top 20-ranked college football teams at Stanford and San Jose State as its head coach.
February 4, 1991
Larry Kennan, a 25 year coaching veteran who was one fo the architects of the Los Angeles Raiders' Super Bowl XVIII victory and most recently was offensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts, is named Head Coach of the London Monarchs.
February 7, 1991
The Coca-Cola Company, in partnership with local Coca-Cola bottlers in World League franchise cities, becomes the thirs charter corporate sponsor of the league, siging a three year arrangement to be the exclusive soft drink, juice and sports drink supplier to the League and its teams.
February 8, 1991
First-ever WLAF Owners/Administrative meetings, comprising all League officials and the owners, executives, coaches and administrative staff from all 10 charter franchises, begin at the Radisson Plaza Hotel Orlando in Orlando, FL.
February 9, 1991
A unique-player allocation system requiring World League teams to choose one of 10 predetermined sequences in a draft matrix is revealed by League President Mike Lynn.
February 10, 1991
Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks Head Coach Roman Gabriel draws first choice in the first ever WLAF draft selection system and selects the "H" position in the draft matrix, which begins with wide receiver as the first choice.

WLAF Will Succeed With Tight Rein on Dollar, League President Believes

February 13, 1991

ORLANDO, Fla. — Considering the history of alternative professional football leagues, you'd think Mike Lynn might be a little apprehensive about starting the World League of American Football.

Instead, the former Minnesota Vikings general manager is convinced that the WLAF will succeed when it makes its debut in 10 stadiums and five countries next month.

http://articles.latimes.com/1991-02-13/sports/sp-1341_1_tight-end

February 14, 1991
The NY/NJ Knights make the first selection on the first day of the WLAF draft and choose 6-3, 290lb offensive tackle Caesar Rentie of Oklahoma.
February 22, 1991
League announces television agreements with Le Reseau Des Sports (RDS), the French speaking sports cable network for the Province of Quebec and The Sports Network (TSN), the English equivalent of RDS to carry full coverage of all 10 Montreal Machine games, with a potential viewing audience thoughout Quebec and Canada of 7.4 million viewers.
February 24, 1991
League concludes its first annual draft, choosing defensive backs and assigns 40 Operation Discovery players to its 10 teams.
February 25, 1991
Training Camp opens.
February 28, 1991
A supplemental draft s conducted of two groups of players: those from a list of "Coach's Five" players who were unsigned but recommended, five per team, by the league's 10 coaches; and previously signed but undrafted players.  56 players are chosen.
March 4, 1991
Eight NFL players are added to WLAF teams in an Enhancement Allocation Draft.
March 4, 1991
Channel 4, Great Britain's premier network for American football coverage, reaches an agreement with the WLAF to televise games every Saturday throughout the 1991 season.
March 23, 1991
WLAF begins its inaugural season with weekend games in Frankfurt, Germany; Sacramento, California; Birmingham, Alabama; Barcelona, Spain and Orlando, Florida.

Pro Football; Live From Barcelona: W.L.A.F.'s Kickoff on TV

It sounds like an all-comedy radio station.

But W.L.A.F. stands for one of the more intriguing experiments in sports history: the World League of American Football, the first trans-Atlantic major sports league.

It is a league created as much on Madison Avenue as in the Park Avenue offices of the National Football League. And it is here. It opened last night in Frankfurt, Germany; Birmingham, Ala., and Sacramento, Calif. ABC kicks off its network coverage today by traveling to Barcelona, Spain, where the New York/New Jersey Knights play. And tomorrow night, the USA cable network will televise San Antonio at Orlando.

The helmets and uniforms have been designed with an eye toward retail sales. Thus, the silver-and-black that helps the Los Angeles Raiders of football and Los Angeles Kings of hockey to lead their leagues in hawking jackets and caps has been assigned to the Knights, who have added a touch of gold.

Indeed, each of the logos in the 10-team W.L.A.F. has been designed by the league and doled out to individual clubs: the Knights, the Birmingham Fire, the Orlando Thunder, the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks, the Sacramento Surge, the San Antonio Riders in the States; the Montreal Machine in Canada and the Barcelona Dragons, Frankfurt Galaxy, and London Monarchs in Europe.

Although each franchise costs $11 million (payable over two years), the new league actually is being underwritten by the N.F.L. Only the Chicago Bears and the Phoenix Cardinals refused to kick in, so to speak, to get the W.L.A.F. off the ground.

By creating the new entity, with salaries paid by the league and not individual clubs (only a few players will earn as much as $100,000), the N.F.L. has been able to do away with the threat of a rival spring league that could jack up existing salaries. As important, though, is the potential opening of new worldwide markets keyed to licensing and television sales.

But overseas television revenue for the N.F.L. lags behind merchandise sales. It has reached about $3 million. By going into key European markets now, the N.F.L. hopes to nurture the seeds for many more viewers who would watch American-style football.

Thus, the World League. It also fills a television void in the States: the March-April-May Sunday afternoons that ABC, for example, would like to program with fare that might gain higher ratings. In fact, ABC and NBC proposed a spring league idea to the N.F.L. two years ago.

ABC has paid the World League about $24 million for two years. It will televise a game-of-the-week Sunday afternoons. The USA network will pay about $26 million for the first two years of its four-year deal. In return, USA will televise all the remaining games, except those played between two European teams in Europe. The cable network's games will be on Saturday and Monday nights, which will include a game-of-the-week for the 56 million homes that have the service. In addition, it will have regional games of more limited interest.

The league has been able to start fresh with several innovative rules. They are designed for speed and for viewer interest, and include the following:

* Mandatory no-huddle offenses with 35 seconds between plays.

* In overtime, a team must score at least 6 points to gain an outright decision. In other words, a team scoring first with a field goal does not automatically win. At the end of the period, though, the team with more points wins.

* No instant replay.

* Two-point conversions.

* Communication between the sideline and the quarterback will be broadcast over the air.

Will it work?

If enthusiasm matters, it has a chance. Just listen to Robert F. X. Sillerman, the Knights' owner (and also 50 percent owner of radio station WNEW): "I'm going to make a wild statement. Twenty years from now we'll be here and people will be talking about whether the top draft pick will go to us or the N.F.L. Our television revenue will be greater than the N.F.L.'s."

Chart: "Dragons, Fire and Monarchs, etc." Barcelona Dragons Coach: Jack Bicknell. Spent last 10 seasons as head coach of Boston College. Key player: Paul Palmer, ex-1st-round runner for Kansas City Chiefs. Stadium: Montjuic (70,000). Birmingham Fire Coach: Chan Gailey. Former Broncos' offensive coordinator. Key player: Brent Pease, first quarterback chosen, former Seahawks' back-up. Stadium: Legion Field (72,000). Frankfurt Galaxy Coach: Jack Elway. Ex-head coach of Stanford and San Jose State; father of Broncos' John Elway. Key players: Quarterback Mike Perez, former Giants' seventh-round pick. Stadium: Waldstadion (55,000). London Monarchs Coach: Larry Kennan. Was Colts' offensive coordinator last two seasons. Key player: Running back Judd Garrett, one of the three Garrett brothers from Princeton now in World League. Stadium: Wembley (63,500). Montreal Machine Coach: Jacques Dussault. Key player: Ex-Giants' kicker Bjorn Nittmo. Stadium: Olympic Stadium (61,000). N.Y./N.J. Knights Coach: Mouse Davis. Created "run-'n'-shoot" offense with Lions' as offensive coordinator the last two seasons. Key player: Quarterback Todd Hammel from Stephen F. Austin. Stadium: Giants Stadium (76,000). Orlando Thunder Coach: Don Matthews. Had extensive, successful career in Canadian League. Key player: Quarterback Kerwin Bell, former Florida star. Stadium: Florida Citrus Bowl (70,000). Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks Coach: Roman Gabriel. Former outstanding Rams and Eagles quarterback. Key player: Mark Maye, former North Carolina quarterback. Stadium: Carter-Finley Stadium (45,000). Sacramento Surge Coach: Kay Stephenson. Was N.F.L.'s youngest head coach as top man for Bills. Key player: Pete Najarian, former Tampa Bay linebacker. Stadium: Hughes Stadium (23,000). San Antonio Riders Coach: Mike Riley. Key players: Garrett brother tandem of Jason throwing to John. Stadium: Alamo Stadium (25,000). Drawings: Team helmets

http://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/24/sports/pro-football-live-from-barcelona-wlaf-s-kickoff-on-tv.html


The Adventure Begins

After years of preparation and waiting, the World League of American Football kicked off on March 23, 1991, and the opening weekend was an historic occasion as memorable games were played on both sides of the Atlantic.  The inaugural World League season stumbled to life as defenses dominated the early stages, but there were enough flashes of the offensive fireworks promised by league officials to get the pulse racing and create interest in the fledgling set-up. The World League adventure began in Frankfurt, Germany, where the hometown Galaxy played host to the London Monarchs before a crowd of 23,167 at the Waldstadion. It was quite an event on and off the field as football fans in Germany were treated to an entertainment-filled evening. The action began before a block had even been thrown in anger as World League president Mike Lynn touched down at midfield in a helicopter to deliver the game ball.

English kicker Phil Alexander then launched the ball high into the air and his compatriot, national running back Victor Ebubedike, made the first tackle of the new season to prove the league truly was going to be an international affair. What followed was by no means pretty as both teams struggled to move the football and combined to tally just 41 yards of offense in the first quarter. With both offenses struggling so badly, it was only fitting that the first points in World League history should come on a safety as Galaxy defensive tackle Chris Williams burst through the Monarchs' offensive line to drop running back Judd Garrett in the endzone. Frankfurt extended their lead in the second quarter when German kicker Stephan Maslo kicked a 25-yard field goal to make it 5-0. Fans at the Waldstadion could have been forgiven for thinking they were at a soccer match after a quick glance at the scoreboard. Maslo's field goal did enough to wake the Monarchs, who had struggled for one and a half quarters under the guidance of quarterback Jon Witkowski. He finally led the Monarchs on a 13-play, 79-yard drive which was capped by David Smith's 28-yard scoring run, which transpired thanks to some excellent blocking up front by an offensive line unit which would become known as The Nasty Boyz. Alexander added the conversion and the Monarchs went into the break with a 7-5 lead. The promised fireworks emerged in the second half and it was the rejuvenated Monarchs who came out full of confidence and stormed to victory in impressive fashion. Former San Diego Chargers wide receiver Dana Brinson gave the Monarchs the spark they were looking for when he returned the opening kickoff 47 yards.  With ex-Buffalo Bills quarterback Stan Gelbaugh in the game for Witkowski, the Monarchs found their offensive rhythm and reeled off 17 unanswered points. Alexander stretched London's lead to 10-5 with a 25-yard field goal before Gelbaugh broke the game wide open with a spectacular 97-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jon Horton while being forced to throw out of his own endzone. Monarchs head coach Larry Kennan said of the record-setting play: "Jon's effort was outstanding and Stan threw the ball very well, right on the money. "The Galaxy fumbled away possession on the ensuing kickoff and London wasted no time in icing the game and completing their 17-point third quarter. Brinson took a reverse handoff from Gelbaugh and raced away from the Galaxy defenders, turning the corner for an 8-yard touchdown run. Alexander kicked the extra point to complete the scoring for the Monarchs. Frankfurt mustered a consolation touchdown in the fourth quarter but couldn't prevent a 24-11 victory for Kennan's Monarchs. The delighted head coach said: "I'm thrilled for everyone. It's great to be here and be part of the first World League game. I'm really proud right now tobe a London Monarch. I love our guys, they really rallied when we were behind." Gelbaugh, who completed 10-of-16 passes for 189 yards in one half of action was very impressed with the European fans. He said: "As long as you get fan support like we did tonight, I don't see how you can lose." Defenses dominated the remaining two games that were played on the opening Saturday night of the inaugural season.

Montreal Machine gained just 179 total yards but used strong defense and the kicking of Bjorn Nittmo to down the Birmingham Fire 20-5 before 52,942 fans at Legion Field. Sacramento Surge relied on a 1-yard touchdown run from Paul Frazier with 3:47 remaining in a rain-soaked affair to see off the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks 9-3. On Sunday March 24, Barcelona Dragons overcame the New York/New Jersey Knights 19-7, courtesy of quarterback Scott Erney's 43-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Gene Taylor, and 6-yard TD run.

The offensive performance of opening weekend came on Monday Night Football as the Orlando Thunder edged past the San Antonio Riders 35-34 in a thriller at the Florida Citrus Bowl. Orlando's first round draft pick, quarterback Kerwin Bell, earned the inaugural Player of the Week award by throwing for 269 yards and 5 touchdowns. The man on the receiving end of Bell's best passes was WR Byron Williams, who had 4 catches for 113 yards and 3 touchdowns. San Antonio twice rallied from 14 points down behind the passing of Jason Garrett, and the game was only decided with 1:24 left in regulation when kicker Teddy Garcia missed an extra point attempt that would have sent the game into overtime. After a slow start, opening weekend exploded to life with that Orlando-San Antonio game and proved the World League would be an exciting product worthy of all the preseason hype and buildup. It proved to be a weekend that had everything: safeties, long touchdown passes, missed extra points, close finishes and big crowds. While many games have since been played in the World League and NFL Europe, the opening weekend of the 1991 season will stay in the memory for a long time.

FOOTBALL; W.L.A.F. Seasoning in the Sun

There is plenty to like, said New York/New Jersey Knights receiver Cornell Burbage, about the World League of American Football.

Nice schedule. Burbage said the players love being in in February and out in June. Decent pay. Easily $40,000 for players who meet contract incentives. Pressure to win. But not at all like the pressure in the National Football League. Spirit and camaraderie. Because, Burbage and others say, so many of the athletes are enjoying football for the first time in their up-and-down careers.

But?

"The N.F.L. is my goal and it's everybody's goal that's here," said the 26-year-old Burbage, who played at Kentucky and then two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys before signing last year as a Plan B free agent with the Minnesota Vikings, who cut him in training camp. "They're talking about raising the salaries here next year but most of the guys don't want to be back here next year. I'd say 90 percent are like me and want to get back to their dream, to the N.F.L." Choosing the Players

It is also giving N.F.L. teams another way to add depth to their rosters, and correct mistakes made in evaluating players. It also, by N.F.L. standards, offers cheap labor.

"We did not go after the player who was right out of college but the ones who had some type of N.F.L. experience, the kid who teams felt had the talent but needed more time to develop," said Jerry Vainisi, the W.L.A.F. vice president of football management.

"Each year, of all the college senior players, 3,000 are evaluated; 1,000 receive grades; 336 are actually drafted and 150 actually make N.F.L. teams. That's 2,850 players available in each of the last couple of years and room for a lot of mistakes. We've got 360 players now in our league and I'd expect a third of them will sign with N.F.L. teams after our season."

That's 120 additional players for N.F.L. teams to scout and scour in training camps this summer. After the World Bowl -- the new league's championship game -- in London on June 9, all players in the World League are free to sign with any N.F.L. team. Compensation falls into two categories: for those who signed with the W.L.A.F. before Jan. 15, 1991 and those who signed afterward. The date was chosen to encourage players to sign with the W.L.A.F. The Rules on Signing

If a W.L.A.F. player who signed before Jan. 15 later signs with an N.F.L. team as a free agent and remains under contract with that team after Feb. 1, 1992, his rights are released to that team by the W.L.A.F. If he does not remain signed past Feb. 1, he owes the World League a two-year option on his playing rights.

For the player who signed with the W.L.A.F. after Jan. 15, the N.F.L. team that signs him must pay a lump sum double his base salary, with one-third of the money allotted to the player, one-third to the W.L.A.F. and one-third to his W.L.A.F. team. His rights are then released to his N.F.L. team, which would then negotiate a contract. The same rules apply in each case for players who might sign with the Canadian Football League.

Each N.F.L. team is allowed to send four players to the W.L.A.F. during the N.F.L. off season, but only the Kansas City Chiefs and the New Orleans Saints did so, sending two apiece. The four are being paid the same base salary as any other W.L.A.F. players, along with incentive bonuses.

"It's been a mixed bag, something the N.F.L. is trying to work out, on what is here worth taking and should they be sending guys here for more work," Vainisi said. "Most teams wanted to keep their players away because of the injury factor. Others weren't sure of the style and caliber of play and if the league would help them. But I think we've answered the skeptics."

Chiefs quarterback Mike Elkins (Sacramento) and linebacker Tracey Simien (Montreal) and Saints cornerback Calvin Nickleson (San Antonio) and offensive lineman Bobby Sign (Barcelona) are the four N.F.L. players competing in the World League. Playing for 'All the Right Reasons'

"Marty Schottenheimer called me at home in North Carolina in January and explained that this was a chance for me to get some work in the off season that couldn't be duplicated," said Elkins, who was drafted by Kansas City in 1989 but has played sparingly.

"I understand what a lot of these guys here have been through in the N.F.L. You work on the scout teams in practice and in the preseason you might get five or six minutes or a quarter. That's too little time to show what you can do.

"Here you have a lot of guys playing the game for all the right reasons. They're having a lot of fun and they're putting out as much intensity as the guys in the big leagues. I see a lot of guys, talented people, who are going to develop in the right situation in the N.F.L."

"In our business," said Larry Wilson, the Phoenix Cardinals' general manager, "team preparation dictates that you don't get to spend as much time evaluating the players in training camp as you'd like. This is an excellent way for the ones on the bubble to show their abilities. There are guys there that fit needs of certain teams who are going to get a shot this summer. And, hey, if they're making $20,000, we'd gladly offer 'em $40,000."

http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/05/sports/football-wlaf-seasoning-in-the-sun.html

WLAF Expects to Expand in 1992; One Team Might Be in NFL City

May 09, 1991

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The World League of American Football will add at least two teams next season, and there is a good chance one will be located in a city with an NFL team, WLAF Commissioner Mike Lynn said Wednesday.

Lynn said there is a possibility the league could add four teams and expand to 14 teams next season.

http://articles.latimes.com/1991-05-09/sports/sp-1940_1_nfl-teams

May 27, 1991
League sets weekend average attendance record of 35,035 as regular season concludes.
June 9, 1991
A sellout crowd of 61,108 sees the London Monarchs defeat the Barcelona Dragons 21-0 at Wembley Stadium in London in World Bowl '91.
July 30, 1991
Mike Lynn, under whose stewardship the WLAF launched its inaugural season, resigns as President of the League to devote full time to his ownership duties with the Minnesota Vikings.

FOOTBALL: NOTEBOOK; Initials For W.L.A.F. May Soon Be R.I.P.

The World League of American Football could be facing extinction if supporters among the National Football League owners can't appease other owners, who aren't happy that the spring league lost nearly $7 million in its inaugural season.

N.F.L. owners met in Dallas last Wednesday to discuss the future of the W.L.A.F. They left the meeting uncertain about where the league is headed. The options discussed included continuing with the league in its current form, moving teams to larger television markets, suspending play for a year to reorganize or folding the league altogether.

It's my guess it's going down the chute," said one N.F.L. owner, who spoke on the condition that he not be identified. "It was much more of a financial failure than anybody realized it would be. And there doesn't appear to be any light at the end of the tunnel."

The World League is supported by the 26 N.F.L. clubs that invested $13 million to start the league and pledged another $15 million line of credit for its operation in May. Chicago and Phoenix are the two clubs that have never supported the World League.

Dan Rooney, the Pittsburgh Steelers' president and N.F.L. chairman for the World League, said that while the estimates on the cost of operating the league were "right on the mark," the estimates on how much revenue it would be generate were not accurate.

None of the league's 10 teams made a profit.

Reggie Williams, general manager of the New York/New Jersey Knights, said the league would survive, despite rumors of its demise.

"All new businesses, all new leagues go through a metamorphosis," Williams said. "There will probably be changes. But those changes will make the league stronger. The concept is very sound."

The biggest question facing the World League is whether ABC and the USA Network will continue to support the league beyond their two-year contracts.

The World League games on the USA Network averaged a 1.2 rating (646,000 television households) on the games that started at 8 P.M. and averaged a 0.8 rating (430,000 households) for the games starting at 2 P.M. One rating point for cable represents 567,000 households.

Mary Lou O'Callaghan, USA Network vice president of corporate and news media relations, said the cable network will honor the final year its contract. But she said the contract between the W.L.A.F. and USA would be void if the league is radically altered. ABC officials were unavailable for comment last week.

Rob Correa, USA Network director of sports acquisitions, said the network lost money on the World League. He would not say how much.

Correa said trying to line up advertisers for World League games will be tougher next season because of the low ratings.

"The bottom line in any television show is you have to give people a reason to watch," Correa said. He believes the league suffered from overexposure on television last year and needs to have some identifiable N.F.L. stars to increase its appeal to viewers.

Rooney said that between now and Sept. 12, members of the World League board of directors will meet with television executives, World League team owners and N.F.L. owners in an attempt to find a way to save the league. He doesn't expect a hard fight with the N.F.L. owners to keep the league afloat.

"There's a lot of room for improvement," Rooney said. "But every new league that starts up takes time to become successful. People don't remember how the N.F.L. got started. It was tough. Look at the American Football League. That product didn't improve until the second or third year."

For the first time, the N.F.L. has secured a line of credit worth about $300 million from two banks, Citibank and NCNB Corporation, so that teams can refinance existing debt. Ten teams have said that they will use the line of credit.

The banks were willing to give the league low interest rates because the risk is spread among more than one borrower.

Some of the teams, which were purchased in recent years, will be using the loans to refinance the huge debts that the owners incurred to acquire the clubs.

Joe Browne, N.F.L. vice president of communications and development, said the credit line is not a sign that some teams are in financial trouble. "We pool our resources to buy tape, airline tickets and rent cars," Browne said. "Why not pool our resources to get our money cheaper?"

Under the deal, each team will be able to borrow as much as $35 million, or the debt ceiling that has been established by the N.F.L. for each club. The collateral for the clubs' loans will be each team's annual share of the league's four-year, $3.64 billion television contract, which is about $32.5 million per club.

The television contract expires in February 1994 and the credit line also ends into 1994. There is concern on the part of some N.F.L. owners that the line of credit could encourage teams to go deeper into debt and lead to future bankruptcies. If the next television contract provides less money than the present one and teams have set a pattern of spending up to the debt ceiling, then some owners could be faced with cutting costs or going bankrupt.

"We can't predict what will happen in 1994," said Thomas Sullivan, the league's treasurer. "If the advertising market turns around and the European markets start to boom, who knows what the next television contract will be worth. It's so speculative that we can't address that right now."

EXTRA POINT

Practice squads have been approved again for N.F.L. teams this season, after an agreement between the league and a group of attorneys representing players who filed a lawsuit against the N.F.L. Each team will have three to five inactive players at a minimum salary of $3,200 a week ($200 more than last year). Teams must spend a minimum of $280,000 and a maximum of $375,000.

http://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/25/sports/football-notebook-initials-for-wlaf-may-soon-be-rip.html

September 1, 1991
The NFL begins its 72nd season with 29 WLAF players on its active, practice or injured-reserved squads.
October 23, 1991
The NFL approves a three-year financial plan for the WLAF, which now will play a key part in the newly formed NFL-International division. All 28 NFL clubs will now share equally in supporting the WLAF.  Additionally, ABC Sports announces the it has agreed to a new three-year contract to carry WLAF games each Sunday through 1994.  THe League reveals that it will field 10 teams in 1992 and expand by four teams in the next three years, adding two franchises in both 1993 and 1994.
November 25, 1991
Michael Huyghue, General Manager of the North American West Division winning Birmingham Fire, is named Vice President of Administraton and General Counsel of the WLAF.
November 26, 1991
Columbus, Ohio, a burgeoning U.S. market with a rich American football tradition, is awarded the first expansion franchise in WLAF history.  Peter Hadhazy, former Cleveland Browns' General Manager and NFL executive, is named the team's General Manager.
December 10, 1991
Richard M. Regan, Jr., the League's Vice President of Finance, is appointed Vice President of European Operations, to be based in London.
December 16, 1991
The League's new franchise from Columbus, Ohio, announces their new name, the "Ohio Glory".
December 20, 1991
Montreal, which celebrates its 350th anniversary in 1992, is awarded World Bowl '92 to be played on June 6.

1991 WLAF Results & Standings

Week 1
TeamsFinalAttendanceDayDate
Montreal Machine
@ Birmingham Fire
20
5
 53,000Sat03/23/1991
London Monarchs
@ Frankfurt Galaxy
24
11
 23,169Sat03/23/1991
Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
@ Sacramento Surge
3
9
 15,126Sat03/23/1991
New York/New Jersey Knights
@ Barcelona Dragons
7
19
 19,223Sun03/24/1991
San Antonio Riders
@ Orlando Thunder
34
35
 21,714Mon03/25/1991
Week 2
Sacramento Surge
@ Birmingham Fire
10
17
 16,500Sat03/30/1991
Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
@ Orlando Thunder
20
58
 20,811Sat03/30/1991
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ San Antonio Riders
10
3
 18,432Sat03/30/1991
New York/New Jersey Knights
@ London Monarchs
18
22
 46,952Sun03/31/1991
Barcelona Dragons
@ Montreal Machine
34
10
 53,238Mon04/01/1991
Week 3
Orlando Thunder
@ London Monarchs
12
35
 35,327Sat04/06/1991
Barcelona Dragons
@ Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
26
14
 19,656Sat04/06/1991
Sacramento Surge
@ San Antonio Riders
3
10
 6,772Sun04/07/1991
Birmingham Fire
@ Montreal Machine
10
23
 27,766Mon04/08/1991
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ New York/New Jersey Knights
27
17
 36,546Mon04/08/1991
Week 4
New York/New Jersey Knights
@ Montreal Machine
44
0
 34,821Sat04/13/1991
Orlando Thunder
@ Barcelona Dragons
13
33
 40,875Sun04/14/1991
London Monarchs
@ Birmingham Fire
27
0
 18,500Mon04/15/1991
San Antonio Riders
@ Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
37
15
 13,500Mon04/15/1991
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Sacramento Surge
10
16
 17,065Mon04/15/1991
Week 5
Barcelona Dragons
@ San Antonio Riders
14
22
 16,500Sat04/20/1991
Montreal Machine
@ London Monarchs
7
45
 35,294Sat04/20/1991
Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
@ Frankfurt Galaxy
28
30
 21,065Sun04/21/1991
Birmingham Fire
@ Orlando Thunder
31
6
 21,249Sun04/21/1991
Sacramento Surge
@ New York/New Jersey Knights
20
28
 21,230Mon04/22/1991
Week 6
Barcelona Dragons
@ Sacramento Surge
29
20
OT19,045Sat04/27/1991
Orlando Thunder
@ New York/New Jersey Knights
6
42
 30,046Sat04/27/1991
Montreal Machine
@ Frankfurt Galaxy
7
17
 25,269Sat04/27/1991
Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
@ London Monarchs
10
35
 33,997Sun04/28/1991
San Antonio Riders
@ Birmingham Fire
12
16
 8,000Mon04/29/1991
Week 7
Birmingham Fire
@ Barcelona Dragons
6
11
 31,490Sat05/04/1991
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Orlando Thunder
17
14
 11,270Sat05/04/1991
Montreal Machine
@ Sacramento Surge
26
23
OT17,326Sat05/04/1991
New York/New Jersey Knights
@ Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
42
6
 10,069Sun05/05/1991
London Monarchs
@ San Antonio Riders
38
15
 12,328Mon05/06/1991
Week 8
San Antonio Riders
@ Barcelona Dragons
7
17
 23,670Sat05/11/1991
London Monarchs
@ New York/New Jersey Knights
22
7
 41,219Sat05/11/1991
Sacramento Surge
@ Orlando Thunder
33
45
 20,048Sat05/11/1991
Birmingham Fire
@ Frankfurt Galaxy
3
10
 28,127Sun05/12/1991
Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
@ Montreal Machine
6
15
 20,123Mon05/13/1991
Week 9
London Monarchs
@ Sacramento Surge
45
21
 21,409Sat05/18/1991
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Barcelona Dragons
10
3
 29,753Sun05/19/1991
Montreal Machine
@ San Antonio Riders
10
27
 20,234Sun05/19/1991
New York/New Jersey Knights
@ Birmingham Fire
14
24
 31,500Mon05/20/1991
Orlando Thunder
@ Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
20
14
 4,207Mon05/20/1991
Week 10
Sacramento Surge
@ Frankfurt Galaxy
24
13
 51,653Sat05/25/1991
San Antonio Riders
@ New York/New Jersey Knights
9
38
 32,857Sat05/25/1991
Birmingham Fire
@ Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
28
7
 16,335Sat05/25/1991
Barcelona Dragons
@ London Monarchs
20
17
 50,835Mon05/27/1991
Orlando Thunder
@ Montreal Machine
33
27
OT23,493Mon05/27/1991
Semifinals
Barcelona Dragons
@ Birmingham Fire
10
3
 40,500Sat06/01/1991
London Monarchs
@ New York/New Jersey Knights
42
26
 23,149Sun06/02/1991
World Bowl 1991 at London, England
Barcelona Dragons
@ London Monarchs
0
21
 61,108Sun06/09/1991

TIME MAGAZINE ARTICLE 
The World League of American Football is in big trouble Stateside.  The NFL- backed spring league lost more than $5 million in its rookie
season, has already replaced two commissioners, and had TV ratings in the U.S. that were half what the league had hoped they would be.
   Now, faced with having to ante up $600,000 to $700,000 to keep the league around for a second year, several NFL owners will gather in
Dallas for a fate- of-the-WLAF meeting on Sept. 12, intent on withdrawing their support. ''It's a financial sinkhole, and we're
throwing good money after bad,'' said one NFL team executive last week.
   Any good news? If there is, it's all abroad: Paris wants a franchise, as do Amsterdam and Bogota and Tel Aviv . . . and even Lithuania and Moscow.
Imagine that Lithuania-Sacramento rivalry. WLAF fever. Catch it.

Copyright 1991 Time Inc.

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